Sale Sharks Women to make history in Premiership Women's Rugby round 14

Sale Sharks Women will make history this weekend in round 14 of Premiership Women’s Rugby when they play at Salford Stadium for the first time.

They will face Trailfinders Women on Saturday 9th March in the historic fixture.

Sale Sharks currently sit at the bottom of the PWR table after a five-point deduction, while newcomers Trailfinders are seventh with 18 points.

Sale had a memorable start to the season when they beat Harlequins Women in round two, their only victory so far in this campaign.

Trailfinders have secured three wins so far in their maiden PWR season, beating fellow new joiners Leicester Tigers Women twice, and seeing off a narrow victory against Sale Sharks in their last encounter earlier in the season.

To mark the club’s celebrations for International Women’s Day and as a part of their wider Northern Rugby Matters campaign, they hope to celebrate women’s rugby in the north at the history-making match.

The Greater Manchester venue will also host matches during Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, alongside seven other locations across England throughout the tournament, finishing with the final at Twickenham Stadium.

Speaking about the momentous match against Trailfinders, Sale Sharks co-captain and USA Eagle Georgie Perris-Redding said:

“It’s massive. As everyone knows, it’s historic for us and it’s something we’ve talked about and been in discussions about for a long time, so it’s super exciting.

“When it was announced to the girls, it brought a real buzz and we’re hoping it’s going to be not just a huge day for us, but for rugby in the north and in Manchester.

“Hopefully we can really drum up a crowd and get some fans behind us for that day.”

“When we are in these big occasions and we are the underdogs, I think that’s when the girls really come alive.

“For us, Trailfinders is a target game. It’s something we’re really going to grasp at, and we’d like a big win.

“We can’t hide from it, we’ve had a really tough run. We have had a lot of open, honest conversations about where we’re at as a squad and what we can do to be better moving forward.

“We need to find out how to become that squad that people don’t want to play because they know they’re going to fight for 80 minutes.

“I think it’s sort of finding that DNA again, that northern grit.”

As the furthest-north team in the PWR, the club also raises awareness for rugby in the region through the Northern Rugby Matters campaign.

“We can’t stay away from the battle we have up here in the north, we’re chasing the south with the game,” Perris-Redding said.

“With the Northern Rugby Matters campaign, this game will help us shine a light on the potential this team has. Not just this team but the north, and how it can become a hub of rugby.

“It will be a launch pad that we can use to grow the game and also empower those that are already in it.”

World Cup winner Katy Daley-Mclean, who is Sale Sharks Women’s Head of Performance said: “The players are really excited to be playing at the Salford Stadium in front of what will hopefully be a great crowd. It’s a big opportunity for us to show off the women’s game to a new audience.

“We’re really building something special here and this is another big step in growing the game. We want as many women and girls involved in rugby clubs across the north to come to the Salford Stadium and enjoy what will be a real celebration of our sport.”

Round 14 of the PWR will also see defending champions Gloucester-Hartpury play Harlequins on 8th March before Sale Sharks face Trailfinders.

On the Saturday, Exeter Chiefs host Loughborough Lightning. On 10th March Bristol Bears will play Saracens in what is the final PWR fixture before the start of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations on 23rd March.